Seven Years Later
by cascadedkiwi
Summary: just a little story of the guys reuniting with an old friend...nothing serious


**I wrote for fun one day. i decided to put it up here as a yu-gi-oh 5d's story because i love the show. **

**Note: names were changed in this version and i DO NOT own yu-gi-oh 5 d's**

**enjoy the story!**Seven Years Later

* * *

"And she wins again!" The tv announcer shouted.

"Wow!" Leo exclaimed. "She's awesome!" He turned to his twin sister who nodded in agreement.

There was a knock at the door. Luna answered it.

"Hey there, moonbeam," greeted a voice.

Luna smiled and called, "Hey Leo, guess who's here!"

Leo jumped and bounded to the door. He was greeted by a fierce growl. "Roar!" he called back as he joined the embrace of their visitor.

"How's the little lion doing?" she asked as she walked in.

"Fiercer than ever!" Leo responded enthusiastically.

"And more annoying than ever, too," Luna added. Leo scowled.

The young girl laughed and sat down.

"We saw your duel on tv today," Luna said.

"Yeah!" Leo jumped in. "You were awesome!"

She blushed. "Awww, thanks you two. I couldn't have done it without you, though. Your support helps a lot." She gave them both another hug. "Your parents are away again?" she asked.

Young Luna nodded. "They've been gone for almost a week."

"And you're okay with being by yourselves for so long?"

Leo nodded. "We're used to it." Then he brightened. "But we're not always alone," he said. "We get visitors like you and Yu-" He stopped at the sound of the front door opening.

"Hey guys," called a smooth male voice. "Sorry, I didn't know you had company. I was cleaning my Duel-Runner." He closed the door behind him and came to stand a few feet from the door. "Who's this?" he asked as he spied the medium-length dark haired girl sitting on the couch next to Luna.

"Yusei!" Leo finished.

"Yusei?" The girl repeated.

Luna nodded. "Tessa, this is our friend, Yusei. Yusei, Tessa."

At mention of the girl's name, Yusei's dark blue eyes widened. "Tessa..."

**~~FLASHBACK~~**

_"Yusei can't catch me! Yusei can't catch me!" the little girl sang, laughing as she ran._

_Little Yusei laughed as he chased after her. "I'll get you, Tessa! Just you wait! You'll be 'it' before you know it!"_

_The two children laughed as they ran about the streets of the satellite. They both sported grins that marked the height of childish innocence._

"_Tessa!" a harsh voice broke the atmosphere. _

_Yusei stopped and watched in childlike confusion as a woman grabbed Tessa by the arm._

"_Ow! Mama!" Tessa cried, struggling in vain against her mother's firm grip. _

"_Don't you 'ow' me! I told you that you couldn't play with these little boys that run around here!" her mother said as she tugged Tessa away._

"_But Mama," Tessa pleaded, refusing not go without a fight. "He's my friend! I don't wanna go!" she cried. _

"_Where are you going?" Yusei called after her, knowing she either wouldn't or couldn't answer._

"_Tessa, I told you," Her mother said patiently. "As soon as Daddy got his old job back we were moving back to the city."_

"_The city?" Yusei wondered out loud to himself._

"_Noooooo!" Tessa yelled, on the verge of a tantrum. "I don't wanna leave my friends!"_

"_Come on, Tessa!" her mom nearly shouted, quickly running out of patience. "We're going and that's that!" _

"_Sorry, Yusei!" Tessa cried over her shoulder, willing to her mother's demand. _

_Yusei just stood there, unable to speak as he watched his friend be dragged away to the city right before his eyes._

Tessa looked over her shoulder at the young man and then stood up from the couch. She walked out to the side of the couch to face him. "Your name is…Yusei? As in Yusei Fudo?"

"Yea…" he answered slowly.

"There's no way…" Tessa trailed off, looking intently at Yusei's deep blue eyes and spiky black and gold hair. "It can't be…"

**~~FLASHBACK~~**

_Her tiny hand pained her little as she rapped on the old wooden door. She listened as small footsteps came to the door. It opened just a crack. _

"_Tessa?" a familiar voice asked. _

"_Yea, it's me," she answered softly, clutching her little sweater tightly._

_Yusei's deep blue eyes peered at her through a crack in the door. They sparkled in the moonlight. __His hand pulled her in swiftly and closed the door quietly behind them. "What are you doing here, Tessa?" He asked in a shocked whisper._

"_I snuck out. I just came to tell you goodbye," she said sadly. "I'm moving to New Domino City."_

"_Why?" he asked almost automatically. _

"_My mama said it's because my daddy got his old job back. When we came here she always said we were gonna move back but I never really listened." Tessa responded._

"_Now you're leaving forever?" Yusei asked hesitantly._

_Tessa shrugged heavy shoulders and sniffed. "I don't know," she cried helplessly. _

_Yusei gave her a hug. "I'll miss you a lot, Tessa."_

"_I'll miss you, too, Yusei." Tessa choked out as she hugged him back. "I really will." _

_Yusei released her. "You'd better go home before your mom finds out that you're gone." He said softly._

_Tessa shook her head. "Not just yet. Where are the others?"_

"_The others?" Yusei asked, looking out the small window. "You mean Jack and Crow?"_

"_Yea," she answered. "I wanna tell them bye, too." _

The two stared at each other then gasped simultaneously.

"But that was…" Yusei started.

"Seven years ago…" Tessa finished.

"Do you two..." Luna began.

"Know each other?" Her brother finished with her.

"I…think we do," Tessa said, turning to the twins.

"After all these years," Yusei said.

"After all what years?" Leo asked impatiently. "How do you to know each other?"

"We used to live in the Satellite when we were…" he turned to Tessa. "How old were we?"

Tessa laughed. "I don't know, eight maybe? Nine?"

"Yea," Yusei laughed sheepishly. "Wow."

"Wow what?" Tessa questioned.

"I can't believe I'm actually seeing you again, right in front of me." Yusei said.

"Seven years later," Tessa said.

"Yea," Yusei said again. "You've really grown."

"You don't look to bad yourself," Tessa replied. "You said you have a Duel-Runner?"

"Yea, it's out back. Just finished cleaning it." He looked at her. "Wanna see it?"

"Sure." Tessa turned to the twins. "You don't if we go hang out, do you?"

"Not at all," Luna smiled. "You guys have seven years of catching up to do, apparently."

"Thanks you guys." Tessa gave Luna a hug and playfully ruffled Leo's hair. "I'll see you another time."

"Bye guys," Yusei called on his way out the door. He led Tessa to the back of the house.

"Wow!" Tessa exclaimed when she saw the shiny red Duel-Runner. "It's amazing!"

"Thanks, I modified it myself."

"Can I touch it?" Tessa asked, looking at him uncertainly.

"Did you really just ask me that?" Yusei questioned.

"Well, yea," Tessa replied. "I know how some guys are with their stuff."

"Oh, I see. Well in that case you _can't_ touch it." Yusei said with an unseen twinkle in his eye.

"Fine then." Tessa folded her arms.

"You _can_, however, take a ride on it with me." Yusei looked at her slyly. In one swift, hidden motion he had her up in his arms headed for the runner.

"Hey!" Tessa screamed when she realized what was happening. "Isn't this a one-person vehicle?" Tessa asked as he rested her on the seat further back from the handle.

"If you wanna call it that," Yusei replied as he situated himself in front of her and put on his helmet.

"Wait a minute, don't I get one?" Tessa asked looking over Yusei's shoulder at the front controls of the runner.

Yusei chuckled to himself. "Don't worry," he said to Tessa as he started the runner. "Just hold on tight to me and you'll be fine."

"If you say so," Tessa said uneasily, locking her hands firmly around Yusei's waist. "Just one more thing," she said nervously.

"What's that?" Yuseiasked as he revved the engine.

"How fast does this thing go?" Tessa screamed and hid her face in the curve of Yusei's back as he tore off down the street. She turned her head a little and peeked out at the blurred scenery in effort to clear her mind of the insane fear that fueled her racing heart. To her surprise and relief, she didn't see a mass of spinning wheels or streaks of cars blowing past her. There was nothing but big, leafy trees and countless shinin buildings. Still clutching tightly to Yusei's waist, she raised her head to get a better view of her hazy surroundings. _This isn't so bad, _she thought to herself as Yusei turned a corner. His joyful shout and jubilant yells told her that he was right at home speeding down the streets of New Domino City. She giggled to herself as Yusei laughed out loud, jet black ends of his hair blowing out from under the shiny red helmet he wore.

Yusei slowed the runner and turned up the driveway of his house. "How was that?" he asked after he had pried Tessa's hands apart. "You were holding me a little tightly there."

"It wasn't too bad," Tessa replied as she got off. "You seemed like you were having a lot of fun out there."

Yusei grinned. "I always have a blast when I ride. It's who I am." He began to put his helmet up but stopped turned to Tessa. "Let's go look for the others," he suggested.

"You mean…Crow and Jack?" Tessa asked.

Yusei nodded.

"They live around here?"

Yeah, it shouldn't be too hard to find Jack, at least. C'mon, let's go." Yusei looked around for Tessa, who was already waiting for him on the bike. He chuckled as resumed his seating in front of her and replaced his helmet.

"Just one more thing," Tessa said again.

"Yes?"

"Can we go faster this time?"

* * *

Kaden and Tessa found Jack under the big tree at the park.

"Who's that girl with him?" Tessa asked as Yusei parked the runner.

"Jack'll introduce you," Yusei answered as he led Tessa over to where Jack and the girl sat. "Hey, Jack!" he called.

The girl nudged Jack to look for who called him. Upon spotting Yusei, he smiled and waved.

"Look who I came across," Yusei said, motioning to Tessa who stood beside him.

Jack cocked his head and widened his purple eyes as he recognized the girl who accompanied his best friend. "Tess? I haven't see you in ages!" he exclaimed as he jumped up and hugged her.

Tessa laughed. "I see you haven't changed a bit," she said. "Who's this?"

Jack looked down at the girl who was watching the reunion silently. "This is the love of my life, Carly." He reached out a hand and helped her up. "Carly, this is a really old friend of mine, Tessa. I knew her back when we were little kids living in the Satellite with Kaden."

"Nice to meet you," Carly extended a welcoming hand to Tessa.

"Likewise," Tessa replied. "I love your shirt."

"Thanks, Jack bought it for me," Carly said, smiling in the directing of her blond-haired boyfriend.

"That's amazing," Tessa said. "The last time Jack gave me something he was lucky I was a tomboy."

"Yeah, well, I know what girls like now," Jack said defensively.

"When he has help," Yusei whispered.

"Whatever." Jack looked over at Carly, who had gone back to putting finishing touches on a drawing. She carefully tore it out of her sketchbook and handed it to Tessa.

"Any friend of Jack's is a friend of mine," she said, smiling.

Tessa gasped as she took the sketch. In the picture, there was Yusei, Jack, the artist herself, Carly, and beside Yusei, her (Tessa), all standing in front of Yusei's Duel-Runner. "This is amazing, Carly! Thank you!"

"It's no problem, you were fun to draw." Carly reached into her bag and pulled out a camera. "You guys should take a picture," she said.

"What for?" Yusei and Jack asked simultaneously.

"To commemorate the reunion!" Tessa and Carly answered together.

The four friends looked at each other the burst out laughing. Carly ran a little bit away from them. "Tessa, you get in the middle," she began, setting up for the picture. "Yusei, on her right. Jack, on her left. Big smiles!"

The three reunited friends got into position.

"Wait," Tessa said, breaking her pose.

"What's wrong?" Carly asked.

"Someone's missing from this reunion," Tessa said.

"Who?"

"Crow!" Tessa looked around.

"Someone called?"

Carly jumped and nearly dropped the camera. "Don't do that!"

They all turned around to see Crow a few feet away. Tessa ran to him.

"You haven't changed a bit either," she said. "Popping up out of nowhere."

He chuckled and gave her a hug. "Where have you been for the last almost ten years?"

"Around," Tessa replied, looking at his bright eyes, slightly muscular arms and the way his untamed orange hair stuck out from behind his headband. "You've been working out."

"Yep. Yusei didn't tell you? I work at the gym. Got to stay in top condition for the guys on the physical dueling team."

"You were in physical dueling?" Tessa asked.

"Not anymore. Now I just help coach the rookies."

"C'mon!" Yusei called. "Get in this picture! You were in our group, too."

Crow ran over to where Yusei and Jack were waiting. "Where do want me?"

"Does he even now what's going on?" Carly asked Tessa as came over to join the guys.

"He does."

"Ho-"

"No one can answer that. Not even him. He just does!" Tessa called as she resumed her place in the middle.

"Get into position! Yusei, Jack, kneel down where you were. Crow, you kneel down behind her. Good! Just like that! Smile!" Carly took two pictures.

"One more!" Crow called as he sprinted away. He came back wheeling Yusei's runner.

As if on cue, Yusei and Jack went along with Crow. They picked up Tessa and seated her on the bike. Then, they all leaned on it. Yusei stood next to where Tessa sat; Jack and Crow were on either side. Tessa laughed at this, it was just like old times. The guys had always seemed to have some sort of physic connection. Carly snapped pictures skillfully, capturing the childlike joy the flowed from their teenaged faces.

* * *

Two weeks later, Yusei came in from his afternoon joyride and found a package on his doorstep. After putting up his runner, he went inside and opened it. In the small box, carefully concealed in red tissue-paper, he found the spontaneous picture they had taken with his bike. Tessa faced positively glowed as her dark hair blew around her in breeze. He studied the picture frame, dark red engraved with breezy winds like the one he lived for on his joyrides. He smiled as he took the picture to his room. As he set it on his nightstand, a small paper fell out.

**To: Yusei**

**From: Tessa **

**Thanks the best time of my life**.

At the bottom, there was a picture of him and her, standing in front his red bike when they were little. He attached the note to his bed head and smiled.

The next day, Yusei met Jack and Crow at the gym.

"Tessa sent me a picture," Crow said as he bench-pressed 175. "It was neat. The picture frame had little birds on it and there was a note inside. I have no idea where she found the picture, though. It was of me and her wrestling in sand on the beach when we were kids."

"Same here," Jack said from his place on the treadmill. "Only mine was bordered with leaves. She had a picture of the two of us climbing the old mango tree that was in Martha's backyard."

"Looks like she found something for all of us," Yusei said while doing wrist-curls with 50's. "My frame was bordered with wind and she had a picture of us standing in front of that red bike Ms. Mary bought me when I was 7."

"My picture's on the shelf on my bedroom," Crow said. "That way I can always see it."

"Same," Jack said again. "It's on top of my album. Can't miss it."

"Why not just put it in the album?" Crow asked.

"'Cuz then I would miss it," Jack replied.

Tessa left the window. Nope, they hadn't changed a bit. Sure they were taller, cuter, more muscular, and much more mature, but personality wise, they were still the same loveable boys she had grown to love as a child.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it! Review if you want!**


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